The twin crises: species extinction and climate change
Biodiversity loss and climate change influence and reinforce each other. They cannot be considered in isolation. For example, if the biodiversity of forests declines, they are less able to store carbon and their effect as CO2 sinks decreases. As DLR Projektträger, we are excellently positioned to bring together research and policy for sustainability in both research fields across the boundaries of disciplines and policy fields.
DLR Projektträger links research and policy on biodiversity and climate change
For example, the two German Coordination Offices for the "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change" IPCC and the "Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity" IPBES are located at DLR Projektträger. With great commitment, they have supported science and politics in the preparation and assessment of the reports and in the process quality assurance and transfer of the results into political decision-making. The most recent IPCC reports emphasise how much climate change threatens both human and natural systems and how important healthy ecosystems are in order to strengthen resilience to the impacts of climate change and to limit the extent of climate change. And the titles of the last two IPBES assessments on "values" and "sustainable use of wild species" also show what is ultimately at stake: better capturing the multitude of values which biodiversity and enabling their sustainable use. Effective policy measures for greater appreciation of biodiversity in all areas are also the focus of the funding measure "Appreciating and safeguarding biodiversity in politics, business and society", in the implementation of which DLR Projektträger is supporting the BMBF. To this end, we have already actively used the breadth of DLR Projektträger expertise in the conception phase.
Systematically and in interdepartmental cooperation, IPCC and IPBES reports as well as the latest specialist literature were evaluated and discussed in interdisciplinary expert meetings. Our experts for biodiversity and from the Social-Ecological Research department designed a cross-departmental funding measure for the BMBF in exchange with actors from politics and practice, which we are also supporting in its implementation.
Red Lists provide information on the endangerment situation of species
The Red Lists are the authoritative basis for documenting the endangerment of native species. They are far more than tables with the names of threatened animals, plants and fungi. On a scientific basis and in condensed form, they examine how populations are developing and name causes of endangerment – including climate change.
They show the urgent need for action in species conservation and help to assess at the political level whether the goals of the "National Strategy on Biological Diversity" are being achieved. The scientists receive technical, organisational and financial support from the staff of the Red List Centre, which is based at DLR Projektträger – from the search for lost species to the development of IT tools for the management of biodiversity data to the scientific editing of the Red Lists as well as the organisational implementation up to the print flag.
Federal Programme on Biological Diversity: DLR Projektträger implements important nature conservation funding programme
The projects in the Federal programme "Biological Diversity" aim to meet the need for action that the Red Lists reveal and document for species protection. In five funding priorities, the nature conservation projects support the implementation of the "National Strategy on Biological Diversity" with measures for species and biotope conservation, securing ecosystem services and promoting urban nature or environmental education. The programme office at DLR Projektträger has been providing technical and administrative support for these projects since 2011, i.e. from application through approval to project completion.
To prepare for the future, we need strong nature conservation. It is an important building block for resilience to extreme events such as heat, drought or heavy rain. Research on climate adaptation looks into the question of which other factors play a role and how we can counter the dangers to people, the environment and infrastructure with prevention and risk management.
The broad skills profile and the wide range of professional perspectives and experience in both thematic areas enable DLR Projektträger to set important priorities together with its clients and to take a look at the entire spectrum of relevant policy-making fields.
For more than 15 years, the BMBF has been able to count on the DLR Projektträger staff when it comes to planning and implementing transfer-oriented and innovative adaptation research in Germany together with stakeholders from practice, politics and science. We were also able to draw on this networking and expertise when, after the flood disaster in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, we designed a needs-based support measure for the BMBF in record time with the measure "Climate adaptation, floods and resilience", set up implementation structures and approved projects, with the help of which the actors at State and municipal level can now draw on scientific expertise from all over Germany in the reconstruction process.
However, how we use and shape natural spaces plays an essential role not only for adaptation, but also for climate protection. Via the " Action Programme for Natural Climate Protection", the potential of our diverse natural spaces and landscapes is to be used to exploit synergies between the conservation of biodiversity, nature conservation and climate protection. On behalf of the BMBF, our staff analysed the potential research needs through interdepartmentally coordinated, transdisciplinary expert forums.
Centres of excellence in Africa strengthen adaptation to climate change
The connection between intact ecosystems and adaptation to climate change is playing an increasing role not only in this country. In the rural areas of Africa, ecosystem services provided by nature secure the livelihoods of a large part of the population. But here, many difficulties overlap. Intensive use of fertilisers increases pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Climatic fluctuations prolong droughts and intensify extreme weather events such as heavy rains and floods. These developments lead to soil degradation and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. In order to limit these effects and enable sustainable land use with effective adaptation to climate change, the scientists of the climate competence centres SASSCAL and WASCAL are researching solutions. On behalf of the BMBF, DLR Projektträger has been providing reliable conception and implementation of funding measures and competent advice in complex diplomatic and political coordination processes surrounding these two centres for over ten years. In this way, we are both a provider of ideas and a co-designer in the implementation of the global task of building structures for research, capacity development and knowledge transfer in countries that are particularly hit hard by climate change and biodiversity loss.
These examples show how complex it is to address the profound "twin crises" of climate change and biodiversity loss.